M1:419 — دیو را چون حور بیند او به خواب / پس ز شهوت ریزد او با دیو آب

Translation: When in a dream, one perceives a demon as a houri, then out of lust, one spills water (semen) with that demon. Meaning: This verse warns of the perils of unhealthy fantasy, which can lead a person to such a degree of delusion that they perceive reality distortedly, performing an impure and fruitless act based on false imagination.

Undoubtedly, this verse offers one of the most penetrating and, at the same time, terrifying images of the phenomenon of 'sleep in wakefulness' (khoftegi dar bīdārī), a pivotal concept in Rumi's thought that I have alluded to repeatedly. Rumi here teaches us that when the human soul is not truly awake to the Divine Reality, it can remain captive even in its waking state. This prison-like wakefulness is nothing but a descent into the realm of khayāl (fantasy or imagination).

As I have emphasized before, khayāl is one of the key epistemological terms in Rumi's entire intellectual system, both in the Masnavi and the Divan-e Shams. Rumi derives many profound implications and consequences from it, and this verse is a stark example of these very consequences. A person can become so enslaved by the 'trampling' (lagadkob) of imagination that they lose all inner purity (safā) and grace (lotf), finding no path towards the heavens.

Here, Rumi points to the peak of this imaginative delusion: 'Sleep is he who from every fancy / Holds hope and speaks with it.' This means that whoever attaches their heart to every passing fancy and engages in dialogue with it is, in reality, asleep, even if their eyes are open. This is a profound sleep within the state of consciousness. This kind of 'wakefulness,' instead of liberating us from bondage, itself becomes a prison.

The bitter and shocking illustration of this dream-state is precisely this verse: 'When in a dream, one perceives a demon as a houri, then out of lust, one spills water with that demon.' In this state, a person, within their world of fantasy, sees a demon in the alluring form of a houri and, without hesitation and driven by lust, wastes their 'seed of progeny' (takhme nasl) with that demon. This is a lust aroused by the failure to discern truth, trapped by the deceptive forms of imagination. What is the result? 'Once his seed of progeny was spilled on barren ground / He came to himself, and the fancy fled.' Once the impure act is committed and the 'seed of progeny' is cast upon a 'salty' and fruitless ground, the veil of fancy is lifted, and the person 'comes to himself.' But to what avail? It is too late.

When the fancy flees, the result is 'he then sees weakness of the head and a defiled body.' A spiritual weakness and physical impurity are the outcome of this fatal error. And finally, Rumi, with a sigh of regret, says: 'Ah, from that image, both manifest and vanished!' This image, this form, this fancy, is both manifest and unmanifest. For a moment, it appears real, and in another moment, with the revelation of truth, it vanishes like a mirage, leaving only regret and remorse. This image warns us that as long as our soul is not truly awake to the Divine Reality, we can, within our world of fantasies, perceive a demon as a houri and waste our lives in futility.

Key takeaways

• "Sleep in wakefulness" is a state where one is caught in the snare of their own imagination, even with open eyes.
• Unhealthy fantasizing can lead to profound delusion and misjudgment of reality, even concerning fundamental distinctions (demon vs. houri).
• Actions undertaken based on false imaginings are fruitless, leading only to remorse and spiritual weakness.
• Rumi considers khayāl (imagination/fantasy) a key concept with significant implications for one's spiritual and psychological state.
• The verse serves as a warning to awaken the soul to truth, guarding against the deceptive allure of illusory appearances.